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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | sharing our faith to unbelievers so hard | 1 Cor 1:18 | Jesusman | 199418 | ||
I think you are misunderstanding what I'm trying to say. I'm not saying that you should put the Bible on the shelf and leave it alone, but rather use Secular terminology. Let me walk you through some examples where churchese language was used. One example is where a christian told a lawyer "You need to be born again". The lawyer replied, "How can I enter my mother's womb a second time when I'm an old man?" Another example is where a christian was speaking to a doctor. "You need to take Jesus into your heart." The Doctor replied, "is this an elective surgery or is it covered by my medical insurance." I'm not making these up, these are actual conversations. We, as christians, are going to be facing people who do NOT understand how on earth we could ... "believe in something so idiotic as an all powerful being. It's like thinking Yoda was a real person." Another quote from someone I witnessed to once. However, when I went through and actually answered his questions about the Bible, many of which were supposed contradictions and concerns about the inerancy of the Bible, and that I used actual things he could research on his own, he came back and we started talking about the Spiritual teachings of the Bible. Now, he's going to church in St. Louis, MO and last I knew, he was teaching a sunday school class at his church. No where did I or will I say that we should put the Bible on the shelf and ignore it. Rather we should support it. The Bible is a book of facts. Many facts are hard to accept. Some, many people believe these facts were added later than we say it was. Our credibility is on the line everytime we begin to witness. We are talking about something that modern science hasn't been able to prove exists. Why do you think we have a manual that has been proven 100 percent true time and time again? It's not only to guide us, but to help give us credibility. I'll close this with another question that was asked to me by someone I was witnessing to. "How can I put my faith in something totally rediculous and unprovable if the documents you support your faith with aren't true?" Having faith is a good thing. Its the most important thing. But it needs help sometimes. Using facts and evidence is not hindering Faith, but helping it along. Jesusman. |
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2 | sharing our faith to unbelievers so hard | 1 Cor 1:18 | DocTrinsograce | 199430 | ||
Hi, Jesusman... On the other side of the spectrum, we don't want the language of the Word to be usurped and redefined by the world. For example, the psychiatric profession now diagnose children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). They define it as "an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, defiant, and hostile behavior toward authority figures." As students of the Bible, we know that this is not a disorder, it is sin, deeply rooted in the heart of fallen humanity. I always teach that it is best to use the language of Scripture. God does a better job of providing labels than do we! If that takes more explaining, then let's shoulder the burden to explain. Calling the Bible a "manual" is fundamentally problematic. Last year, on the forum, I wrote to someone saying, "I'd advise caution not to fall into the habit of thinking that Scripture is a set of individual statements from which we pick and choose in order to refute those who disagree with us. While we have lots of people who regularly do that on the forum, I'd just like to remind you that the Bible is the revelation of Christ. Treating it as a kind of manual for life renders it into an entirely different book. It leaves people with the mistaken impression that they can pick out what they need and leave the rest. We look at the whole of Scripture to build our doctrine, and we live by every Word of God." In regard to the things said to you while witnessing: Such comments are easily answered by addressing each of these folks' presuppositions. However, people don't want to believe God. You can pile evidence upon evidence, and they still will not believe. "And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" (Luke 16:30-31 ESV) Your credibility is not on the line -- God is working in your life, and that work cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14). Their incredulity in the face of all the things "clearly perceived" (Romans 1:20) is fundamentally a moral issue (John 3:19). Meanwhile, the gospel remains hidden from them by the "god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). So remember, "what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord" (2 Corinthians 4:5a ESV). Pray for them, speak the truth to them, and God will deal with them as He sees fit. In Him, Doc |
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3 | sharing our faith to unbelievers so hard | 1 Cor 1:18 | stjohn | 199433 | ||
God bless your heart Doc! Brother, you are soo much nicer then me! :-) |
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